LA $500 million iPAd plan has bitten the dust.
At $1000 a piece you have to look in wonderment. Like it say, it seems the committee had blinkers on.
http://www.neowin.net/news/la-school-district-puts-the-brakes-on-500m-ipad-contract
"In a new effort to find devices that may be more suitable for its diverse set of students, the district is opening up the options to let the students decide what they will use going forward. The options now include Lenovo machines, Surface Pro 2 and options from Dell - and even Chromebooks are allowed to be purchased in the trial."
" it's not the be-all solution for the education sector."
Hearsay has the Chromebook getting an extremely large portion of its sales in education.
LA $500 million iPAd plan has bitten the dust.
At $1000 a piece you have to look in wonderment. Like it say, it seems the committee had blinkers on.
http://www.neowin.net/news/la-school-district-puts-the-brakes-on-500m-ipad-contract
"In a new effort to find devices that may be more suitable for its diverse set of students, the district is opening up the options to let the students decide what they will use going forward. The options now include Lenovo machines, Surface Pro 2 and options from Dell - and even Chromebooks are allowed to be purchased in the trial."
" it's not the be-all solution for the education sector."
Hearsay has the Chromebook getting an extremely large portion of its sales in education.
So it's not just politicians in the UK who know how to waste public money!
There are many problems with these schemes. The equipment gets out of date very quickly, many get lost/damaged/nicked and a lot of kids will have their own devices anyway.
Chromebooks certainly make more sense in education as they are low cost and easy maintenance but schools shouldn't be tying themselves to one device or one vendor. iPads may be all of the rage now but in 10-20 years time when the kids are working they will be ancient history.
I'm on my 5th iPad now, I've had the iPad 2, 3 & 4 and iPad mini and now the iPad mini retina, and its used all day and every day, as much as my Macbook Air, Mac Mini and iPhone. Mostly using it for work, but also a lot of private use.
Wouldn't be without it, I think the iPad mini is an excellent tablet, prefer it much more than the full sized iPad.
I bought the 2012 Nexus 7 and it has mainly gathered dust. Its just easier and a nicer experience to use my iPhone. I've recently tried to use it more and it runs like a dog even just surfing the web. It's really put me off ever switching to Android for my phone.
Anyway, you really can't beat sitting at a proper desk, using a proper PC. I'm sat in a comfortable chair, Spotify on decent speakers, a beer on the desk. Excellent!
I can copy & paste (text) on the iPad, but never managed it on my android phone.
Not sure what the problem is here. I regularly use both iPad and an Android tablet, and it is as easy to cut/copy/paste on one as it is on the other. Very easy on whatever tablet I've used.
I know it was an issue many many years ago on iPhone, but it's always been easily usable on iPad and Android (AFAIK).
Not sure what the problem is here. I regularly use both iPad and an Android tablet, and it is as easy to cut/copy/paste on one as it is on the other. Very easy on whatever tablet I've used.
I know it was an issue many many years ago on iPhone, but it's always been easily usable on iPad and Android (AFAIK).
Can you copy and paste from the gmail on Android app, I have never managed it.
Can you copy and paste from the gmail on Android app, I have never managed it.
Well, I personally cannot stand the Gmail app and prefer the inbuilt "Email" app on my Android tablet, despite the fact that I am a "Google-phile" and use all other Google services.
But I've just tried the Gmail app again and yes, it can be cut/copy/pasted just as any other.
So is the keyboard on the iPad better than the iPhone implementation? On the iPhone the keyboard is utterly diabolical. Can't imagine the iPad being any better. Why does the keyboard always stay in "upper case" (regardless of what you're typing). I thought iOS 7 was dropping the skeuomorphic design, the keyboard is the biggest design flaw and sticks resolutely to the skeuomorphic layout.
I've found the Android keyboards (stock - ie. swype on my Nexus 7) to be absolutely brilliant. Way better than the rubbish that Apple offer.
I don't know the terminology for the design, but using IOS 7 on the latest iPad mini retina, in my experience the keyboard is about 70% that of an actual physical keyboard. My android phone touch scr I would rate only about 10% of an actual keyboard.
I can only go by my own experience.
Some thing else I wanted to add, the battery life on the latest iPad mini retina is not bad at all, way better than my android phone used to be.
I don't know the terminology for the design, but using IOS 7 on the latest iPad mini retina, in my experience the keyboard is about 70% that of an actual physical keyboard. My android phone touch scr I would rate only about 10% of an actual keyboard.
I can only go by my own experience.
Some thing else I wanted to add, the battery life on the latest iPad mini retina is not bad at all, way better than my android phone used to be.
I agree the keyboard on the iPad Air and mini is a lot better than any keyboard I've used on an android phone or tablet. I do miss swipe though when using iOS devices.
Well, I personally cannot stand the Gmail app and prefer the inbuilt "Email" app on my Android tablet, despite the fact that I am a "Google-phile" and use all other Google services.
But I've just tried the Gmail app again and yes, it can be cut/copy/pasted just as any other.
What exactly have you "never managed"?
I have never managed to cut and paste a word that is also a link. i.e. a delivery tracking number, it keeps trying to open the link.
After looking further, i need to choose to cut and paste something else and move the selection. I rarely need it so was surprised to see it was so easy when it actual decides to open the cut and paste UI. So it appears I have always been trying to copy and paste text that google doesnt want me to copy and paste.
Use my tablet, Surface RT, all the time including now typing this. The on screen keyboards are great, you can choose between a simple one with just letters and a couple of punctuation keys or a full keyboard with all the keys.
Then you have the cover keyboards which literally snap in place, the flat one or one with proper keys. So you can choose to use it as pure tablet or as a laptop.
Even the basic RT has Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, and proper full versions not basic cut down apps, so you can do serious work on it. There are a few features cut, like Macros in Word.
Plus it can multitask easily so you can surf the net while playing a video or write a letter while browsing your photographs, though can't imagine why you'd do that. If you're a student you can have the video camera recording a lecture while you take notes in Word or Onenote.
You can even plug a HDMI cable into it to your HD TV and either duplicate or extend the desktop to it. It has USB so you can plug in external hard drives, mouse, whatever. Plus a micro SD card slot to add memory.
Its not perfect. I'd like to have Chrome or Firefox but neither are available. IE is okay but its not as good. No Ad block for example. You can't use SkyGo either, there's no Sky app and IE doesn't run the Sky streaming. The app store isn't as good as Android or Apple. (the Surface Pro solves all those problems of course, but it's heavier and more expensive)
But overall I love it. I use my HTC Android phone, a M8, a lot and the Surface does a few cool things like when you tap on a text area and the on screen keyboard pops up it moves the page up so the keyboard isn't covering what you are writing, a feature my HTC hasn't got. And if you're using it in the kitchen to follow a recipe you can turn the page by just waving at the camera!
I use it all the time and would hate to now go without.
I also have a Surface 2 and I solved the problem with ads by putting offending sites on Restricted sites list in Internet options (desktop version of IE). I have compiled a list of ~15 sites I block.
I also have a Surface 2 and I solved the problem with ads by putting offending sites on Restricted sites list in Internet options (desktop version of IE). I have compiled a list of ~15 sites I block.
You can import lists into the Tracking Protection feature of IE, which you do on the settings on the desktop version, but it's not as good as ad block.
One thing I don't like about the Metro version of IE, that doesn't affect the desktop version, is when you swipe right to go back a page it takes several seconds to refresh that page, longer than it would take to just reload it. I've read ways to fix that but never got them to work, hence wanting Firefox or Chrome.
I think swiping back and forward does not do that, it goes back and forward in some logical navigation, so it's reloading the pages instead of using preloaded pages. I learnt I had to use swiping the appbar in view and tapping the back button. Then it's much faster.
I think swiping back and forward does not do that, it goes back and forward in some logical navigation, so it's reloading the pages instead of using preloaded pages. I learnt I had to use swiping the appbar in view and tapping the back button. Then it's much faster.
Weird. Just tried that and it's no different. It varies from site to site, so DS for example loads almost instantly while the Daily Mail takes ages.
But if you open the desktop version of IE the back button there is instant. It's only on the metro version.
My Nexus 7 2013 isn't gathering dust yet but it will be in a few weeks if the R Soles at google and the BBC don't sort out the iplayer issues - the iplayer and 4OD downloading for later playback facilities being the sole reason I bought the Nexus in the first place.
Now that my desktop pc has died, I cannot believe just how much I am managing to do with my Tab3..... loads!
Write documents.
Video.
Music.
Reading books.
Photo editing
Upload running data from watch to Garmin Connect.
Social media.
Shopping.
Games.
Email.
Calendar and mail accounts synced with work.
The list goes on. Its amazing what you can do when it's all you currently have.
I use mine almost everyday (iPad Air). More for media than anything else. I bought my parents an Android tablet Christmas 2012, was only about £180, they hardly ever touched it, yet i gave them my old iPad 2 when i got the Air 3 months ago and now they are never off the iPad. The Android one is still gathering dust and my parents are fighting over the iPad 2 even though there is 2 tablets in the house. My nan never touches here Laptop now and does everything on her iPad 2, email, amazon shopping, and her general web. Aunt is the same never touchers her laptop unless its to remote to work, everything done on her iPad air.
I don't think they are a fad, the iPad only came out in 2010, so only 4 years, and already in my family at least is now the main source for internet consumption.
If they could do some decent ports of some of the classic games i might use mine a lot more. One good example is Transport Tycoon works well on the iPad, wish they would do the same with Rollercoaster Tycoon 2, or The Sims, instead of these really bad versions they have pumped out.
I really guess it depends on what and where you are using them.
I see lots of tablets on the train, but for the business commute, laptops are quite dominant. For students you could probably get away with using a tablet in stuff like drama classes, but I sense elsewhere the more credible students use laptops.
Funnily enough I'm a bit like Utopian Girl. My San Francisco gets used for GPS tracking but for actual maps, longer tracking and mobile web(rare usage), my 5" phablet phone is viewable mounted on a bike. I think I'd be in danger falling off the bike squinting at my small San Francisco.
And I'm usually sat at a desk, which precludes tablet use.
Comments
At $1000 a piece you have to look in wonderment. Like it say, it seems the committee had blinkers on.
http://www.neowin.net/news/la-school-district-puts-the-brakes-on-500m-ipad-contract
"In a new effort to find devices that may be more suitable for its diverse set of students, the district is opening up the options to let the students decide what they will use going forward. The options now include Lenovo machines, Surface Pro 2 and options from Dell - and even Chromebooks are allowed to be purchased in the trial."
" it's not the be-all solution for the education sector."
Hearsay has the Chromebook getting an extremely large portion of its sales in education.
So it's not just politicians in the UK who know how to waste public money!
There are many problems with these schemes. The equipment gets out of date very quickly, many get lost/damaged/nicked and a lot of kids will have their own devices anyway.
Chromebooks certainly make more sense in education as they are low cost and easy maintenance but schools shouldn't be tying themselves to one device or one vendor. iPads may be all of the rage now but in 10-20 years time when the kids are working they will be ancient history.
Wouldn't be without it, I think the iPad mini is an excellent tablet, prefer it much more than the full sized iPad.
Anyway, you really can't beat sitting at a proper desk, using a proper PC. I'm sat in a comfortable chair, Spotify on decent speakers, a beer on the desk. Excellent!
I know it was an issue many many years ago on iPhone, but it's always been easily usable on iPad and Android (AFAIK).
Can you copy and paste from the gmail on Android app, I have never managed it.
You can, yes.
But I've just tried the Gmail app again and yes, it can be cut/copy/pasted just as any other.
What exactly have you "never managed"?
I struggled to work it out how too. Press down on the word you want to copy, expand your selection then press the tick in the top left hand corner.
I don't know the terminology for the design, but using IOS 7 on the latest iPad mini retina, in my experience the keyboard is about 70% that of an actual physical keyboard. My android phone touch scr I would rate only about 10% of an actual keyboard.
I can only go by my own experience.
Some thing else I wanted to add, the battery life on the latest iPad mini retina is not bad at all, way better than my android phone used to be.
I agree the keyboard on the iPad Air and mini is a lot better than any keyboard I've used on an android phone or tablet. I do miss swipe though when using iOS devices.
I have never managed to cut and paste a word that is also a link. i.e. a delivery tracking number, it keeps trying to open the link.
After looking further, i need to choose to cut and paste something else and move the selection. I rarely need it so was surprised to see it was so easy when it actual decides to open the cut and paste UI. So it appears I have always been trying to copy and paste text that google doesnt want me to copy and paste.
Then you have the cover keyboards which literally snap in place, the flat one or one with proper keys. So you can choose to use it as pure tablet or as a laptop.
Even the basic RT has Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, and proper full versions not basic cut down apps, so you can do serious work on it. There are a few features cut, like Macros in Word.
Plus it can multitask easily so you can surf the net while playing a video or write a letter while browsing your photographs, though can't imagine why you'd do that. If you're a student you can have the video camera recording a lecture while you take notes in Word or Onenote.
You can even plug a HDMI cable into it to your HD TV and either duplicate or extend the desktop to it. It has USB so you can plug in external hard drives, mouse, whatever. Plus a micro SD card slot to add memory.
Its not perfect. I'd like to have Chrome or Firefox but neither are available. IE is okay but its not as good. No Ad block for example. You can't use SkyGo either, there's no Sky app and IE doesn't run the Sky streaming. The app store isn't as good as Android or Apple. (the Surface Pro solves all those problems of course, but it's heavier and more expensive)
But overall I love it. I use my HTC Android phone, a M8, a lot and the Surface does a few cool things like when you tap on a text area and the on screen keyboard pops up it moves the page up so the keyboard isn't covering what you are writing, a feature my HTC hasn't got. And if you're using it in the kitchen to follow a recipe you can turn the page by just waving at the camera!
I use it all the time and would hate to now go without.
You can import lists into the Tracking Protection feature of IE, which you do on the settings on the desktop version, but it's not as good as ad block.
One thing I don't like about the Metro version of IE, that doesn't affect the desktop version, is when you swipe right to go back a page it takes several seconds to refresh that page, longer than it would take to just reload it. I've read ways to fix that but never got them to work, hence wanting Firefox or Chrome.
Weird. Just tried that and it's no different. It varies from site to site, so DS for example loads almost instantly while the Daily Mail takes ages.
But if you open the desktop version of IE the back button there is instant. It's only on the metro version.
Write documents.
Video.
Music.
Reading books.
Photo editing
Upload running data from watch to Garmin Connect.
Social media.
Shopping.
Games.
Email.
Calendar and mail accounts synced with work.
The list goes on. Its amazing what you can do when it's all you currently have.
Fantastic devices these tablets
I don't think they are a fad, the iPad only came out in 2010, so only 4 years, and already in my family at least is now the main source for internet consumption.
If they could do some decent ports of some of the classic games i might use mine a lot more. One good example is Transport Tycoon works well on the iPad, wish they would do the same with Rollercoaster Tycoon 2, or The Sims, instead of these really bad versions they have pumped out.
I see lots of tablets on the train, but for the business commute, laptops are quite dominant. For students you could probably get away with using a tablet in stuff like drama classes, but I sense elsewhere the more credible students use laptops.
Funnily enough I'm a bit like Utopian Girl. My San Francisco gets used for GPS tracking but for actual maps, longer tracking and mobile web(rare usage), my 5" phablet phone is viewable mounted on a bike. I think I'd be in danger falling off the bike squinting at my small San Francisco.
And I'm usually sat at a desk, which precludes tablet use.